2 h\d 2 os dual boot

[Lmg]

a freind has asked me to dual boot his system, he has 2 hard drives with xp and 98 on, will it be possible to setup with a reinstall, if so any suggestions or links to suitable sites.

cheers
Lee

[Gurm]

Sure, works fine. Install 98 first, on the first hard disk.

Then install XP, to the second hard disk.

When you boot, there will be a menu for a little while (default is 25 seconds IIRC, you can change it from in the system control panel of XP) asking which you wish to boot.

HOWEVER... (you knew there had to be a "but", right?) there are a few issues.

1. You'll have two "program files" directories. If both drives are FAT32, Win98 apps/drivers WILL misbehave and continually pick the wrong one. Putting Win98 on the C: drive HELPS, but doesn't cure this problem.

2. You'll have two "windows" directories. See above, only worse.

Basically, the VERY FIRST time some program writes to the wrong Windows directory, you're utterly screwed and you'll wish you never did this.

So... format the XP drive as NTFS. That way only Win98 can get messed up, yeah? Problem is that Win98 is less likely to tolerate such intrusion.

I'm not saying this can't be done - lots of people do it all the time. But I've always sort of recommended against it.

What does your friend have against using a real OS?

I have spoken.

- Gurm

[Wombat]

Originally posted by Gurm

What does your friend have against using a real OS?

Probably the same hang-ups as you

[Chrono_Wanderer]

Just wondering, is it possible to use NTFS under Win 9X? (I thought i saw a utility that will allow NTFS + DOS.

[Gurm]

Chrono:

Yes, but not on the root partition, and it's kinda slow.

I HAVE SPOKEN.

- Gurm

P.S. WinNT is a real OS. Win9x is not.

[leech]

Yeah I guess the Operating System has to actually OPERATE for it to be a REAL OS, right?

Leech

[Pace|Work]

Originally posted by leech
Yeah I guess the Operating System has to actually OPERATE for it to be a REAL OS, right?

Leech

Yup, as opposed to being a configuration tool, or yet another reconfiguration tool

P.

[Technoid]

Originally posted by Gurm
Sure, works fine. Install 98 first, on the first hard disk.

Then install XP, to the second hard disk.

When you boot, there will be a menu for a little while (default is 25 seconds IIRC, you can change it from in the system control panel of XP) asking which you wish to boot.

HOWEVER... (you knew there had to be a "but", right?) there are a few issues.

1. You'll have two "program files" directories. If both drives are FAT32, Win98 apps/drivers WILL misbehave and continually pick the wrong one. Putting Win98 on the C: drive HELPS, but doesn't cure this problem.

hm.... this must be a issue with the English versions of Win98 and XP

Since it has never ever happened to me

2. You'll have two "windows" directories. See above, only worse.

Basically, the VERY FIRST time some program writes to the wrong Windows directory, you're utterly screwed and you'll wish you never did this.

Uhh???
Same as before

So... format the XP drive as NTFS. That way only Win98 can get messed up, yeah? Problem is that Win98 is less likely to tolerate such intrusion.

I'm not saying this can't be done - lots of people do it all the time. But I've always sort of recommended against it.

What does your friend have against using a real OS?

I have spoken.

- Gurm

I have typed.

[Gurm]

Technoid,

Do your localized versions of Windows not both use "Program Files" and "Windows" directories?

- Gurm

[Technoid]

the localised version uses "Windows" and "program" directorys
But I have never ever had windows "see" any directory or file folder etc that was not on the same partition as itself

Sure you can force it, but as for windows itself only "C:\" exists

[agallag]

The problem occurs if some dumb programmer hard codes c:\program files or c:\windows instead of using %programfiles% or %systemroot%. Most apps are good like that, but it only takes one dumbass coder to pooch your system.

[Pace|Work]

Is it not possible to get Win98 to show as C: when it boots (well, obviously) and to get it to show as D: when WinXP boots? i.e. that the current OS will always be 'C'

[Gurm]

Nope. When WinXP boots, it will be running from the D:\ drive. Sucks, huh?

- Gurm